My Dad forwarded me an email. It was George Carlin’s views on aging. I have just forwarded the email to two of my blogger friends who encouraged me during my early days of blogging. Now, I would like to share George’s brilliant ideas with the rest of you…

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we’re kids? If you’re less than 10 years old, you’re so excited about aging that you think in fractions. ‘How old are you?’ ‘I’m four and a half!’ You’re never thirty-six and a half. You’re four and a half, going on five! That’s the key you get into your teens, now they can’t hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. ‘How old are you?’ ‘I’m gonna be 16!’ You could be 13, but hey, you’re gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life, you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There’s no fun. Now, you’re just a sour-dumpling. What’s wrong? What’s changed? You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you’re PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it’s all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn’t think you would! So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60. You’ve built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it’s a Day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday! You get into your 80’s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30 ; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn’t end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; ‘I Was JUST 92.’ Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a Little kid again. ‘I’m 100 and a half!’ May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay ‘them.’
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, Who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next County; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!
You are so special!

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3 responses to “Happy Hearts Day!”

Thanks for this wonderful post. Reading No. 2 — I can’t help but wonder if I’m a grouch sometimes as well, if only privately.

I recently read of a 21-day No-Complaining program, where you put an elastic band around one wrist and everytime you complain, you flick it (hurts your hand) and then switch the elastic band to the other hand and start counting the days from zero again. Keep going till we make it to 21 days without complaining! 😀

As for No. 10, I have to say it’s one of my greatest pleasures to compliment everyone I meet sincerely and from the heart. You can see their faces light up immediately because they know you mean what they say.

In my latest blog post, I talk about my angel Rachel in the first part, but I really can’t describe how she lit up when she saw me at the airport — it was such a surprise for her! She always tells me she loves my smile for it lights up the room, and I realise we can all do this too… just SMILE! 😀

Lastly, reading No. 9 for some reason just made me stop and re-read it again. My eyes teared up because I’m reminded that I am still bogged down with guilt over being responsible for 101 things and for 101 things I haven’t achieved yet.

And I realised that Life is too short not to let go of this guilt and to start living truly. Thank you, for everything you’ve shared, but especially for this.

I’ve come across Carlin’s article before, but it’s always good to read it again.
Yes, we’ve to remind ourselves not to be grouches at times. As a friend told me, it’s too easy to enter a room and note what’s not right and imperfect. It’s better to go into a room and see all the good things and people (and pets) in it and feel blessed and grateful for them.

I had sunk into a pit and was too weak to get out. My turning point was when a brother at church told me that as a child of God, we should not have self pity. What he said made sense to me. As a Mom, I would feel real sad if my children are always complaining. It did not take me long to be healed from my illness. I stopped being a grouch!

These couple of months, I have learned more about myself and my sinful nature. My faith in God has grown stronger because of the trials in my life. I know without His help, I am unable to continue my journey. And, if I continue the journey with my own strength, I will feel despair and get discouraged in a short time.

God allows trials in our lives to bring out one’s talent or to develop one’s gifts. My trials are not over yet. However, when I walk out of the woods, I will be able to minister to others.

Continue to make others smile but not neglect what is most important in your life. If you ask God, He will let you know what that is. God has let me know what mine is… Be a good guardian to my three girls.

P/s Shamefully, you have not ceased to make me smile.

Dear Argus,
Nobody likes grouches. No wonder I don’t even like myself. I didn’t use to be like this. Not even when I was eating just potatoes and overweight. A sister at church who hasn’t seen me for 14 years told me that she remembered me as the happy girl.

While I was writing this comment, I realized one thing. The happy girl that I was, although being obedient, wasn’t feeling God. The sad girl that I am now, found God.

I like what your friend shared with you. From now on, I will go into a room and (try) to see good, feel blessed and be grateful for them.